Martin Rucks Kirby

A full obituary to fo

Martin R. Kirby, PhD., beloved father, brother, friend, and poet, passed away peacefully after a long battle with complications from diabetes on February 1, 2025 at Augusta University Hospital.

 A funeral will be held for Dr. Kirby at 2:00 PM on March 1, 2025 at Roselawn Cemetery in Little Rock, Arkansas, beautifully arranged by Platt’s Funeral Home of Augusta, Georgia and Roller Drummond Funeral Home of Little Rock, Arkansas.

 Dr. Kirby is survived by the mother of his two children, Margaret L. Kirby, PhD., his daughter, Julia Stowers; son-in-law, David Stowers; two grandchildren, Kai and Madeline Stowers; a son, Nathan Kirby; and his sister and brother-in-law, Nancy and Mason Smith.

 Dr. Kirby was born in Charleston, West Virginia in 1943. He grew up in McGehee, Arkansas; graduated from McGehee High School; attained his Bachelor’s degree in English from Tulane University; his Master’s degree in Creative Writing from Johns-Hopkins University; and his Doctorate in Creative Writing from the University of South Carolina, where the late poet, James Dickey, author of the best-selling book and subsequent movie, Deliverance, was his advisor. Dr. Kirby was an investigative reporter for The Baltimore Sun, The Atlanta Constitution, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and The Arkansas Democrat. Dr. Kirby founded and ran his own newspaper, The Arkansas Advocate; wrote innumerous book reviews for The Philadelphia Inquirer and The New York Times; published over one hundred poems; taught Literature and Creative Writing at Paine College in Augusta, Georgia for 26 years. Dr. Kirby was super passionate about the Arts; sang baritone in chorale societies; loved reading, opera, and movies. A lifetime lover of baseball, Dr. Kirby was also a soccer coach, avid hunter, gun and knife collector, and particularly fond of “flop-eared” hound dogs, especially basset hounds. Generous to a fault, he was also the best father and grandfather a kid could ever have!

 In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to your favorite arts program, the United Negro College Fund, the American or World Diabetes Foundations, or the Humane Society.